Airborne 12.09.16

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Airborne 12.09.16

All 14 Aboard Rescued

This is one of those stories which could have had a much different outcome, but fortunately ended with all hands safe. A helicopter transporting a crew to oil and gas platforms owned by U.S. energy company ConocoPhilips went down Thursday in the North Sea about 30 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland, but all were said to be safe.

The French News Service AFP reports that the UK Coast Guard said that flight plan called for the helicopter to land first at the Maersk Fesillient drilling platform, and then continue on to the ENSCO 102 platform. But enroute to the first stop, the pilot radioed that he was being forced to ditch the aircraft.

Bond Offshore, which operates the helo, said the pilot made a "controlled descent" and did not crash in the North Sea. A spokesman said the pilot made the decision to ditch the aircraft after a low pressure oil warning light illuminated. There was no other indication of anything being wrong with the aircraft, which was unidentified.